The Wrecked Read. Chap 1 simple summary

[Paul Mackin]

On 4/19/2011 6:13 PM, Erik T. Burns wrote:
> just wait 'til we get to "the queer"
>
> something can be art, if fake.
>
> and also have value.
>
> the key is knowledge.
>
> and laughter.
>
> (slips bridle back on)

In the central opposition of the book (I better stop calling it binary) 
"the queer" falls on the side of copying for fraud,  versus GOOD 
imitation--done to improve (advance) the product.

There is nothing new under the sun.  (Ecclesiastes)

Did Gaddis in some wise advance  the Faust legend?  Shakespeare 
Plutarch's Lives?

Why couldn't Esme have found a suitable model? (she was her own model 
sui generis--and Wyatt's too)

I realize this is all just obvious chit chat  but David is correct we 
need comic relief on the p-list.



P



>
> On Tue, Apr 19, 2011 at 10:43 PM, Paul Mackin <mackin.paul at verizon.net 
> <mailto:mackin.paul at verizon.net>> wrote:
>
>     On 4/19/2011 4:56 PM, David Morris wrote:
>
>         "potency"
>
>         On Tue, Apr 19, 2011 at 3:55 PM, David
>         Morris<fqmorris at gmail.com <mailto:fqmorris at gmail.com>>  wrote:
>
>             In the first chapter the imitating/reusing of magic into
>             mysticism
>             into religion is portrayed as a downward trend, losing
>             petency with
>             each round.
>
>
>     Yes, this is the central idea everyone talks about. I'm interested
>     in how the gospel of authenticity can  fall apart.
>
>     Gaddis' apparent aversion for "the counterfeit" badly needs
>     deconstructing.  And gets it.
>
>     Originality and authenticity in the novel can be truly ugly. The
>     Americans in Europe were authentic as all get out.  They never
>     heard that  when in Rome do as the Romans.  American's trying to
>     absorb some European culture would be a form of copying,
>     imitating.  A good form. Also learning the language might have
>     saved Stanley.  At least how to read signs.
>
>     Copying and reusing is GOOD
>
>     P
>
>

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